Dog rule reforms yet to translate to ground in Delhi

Delhi's new pet dog regulations, including free registration and vaccinations, await approval from civic agencies, delaying enforcement efforts.

New Delhi

Although the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act mandates the registration of the pet dogs, the compliance in the city remains low, attributed by experts to low value addition attached to the registration. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The sweeping reforms in the regulation of pet dogs brought about by the Delhi government, including exemption of registration fee and free vaccination of Indian dog breeds, are yet to translate into regulatory frameworks on the ground, officials said, due to pending processes with civic agencies.

A senior Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) official from the veterinary department said that the guidelines issued by the Delhi government’s urban development department suggest several changes, but these will need approval from the standing committee, as well as the house of councillors.

“We cannot simply start enforcing these guidelines. A policy preamble will need to be prepared, which will go through the standing committee and end up in the house of councillors; amendments can be made at each level. It will be a lengthy process,” the official said.

The civic body has not initiated the policy changes so far.

Although the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act mandates the registration of the pet dogs, the compliance in the city remains low, attributed by experts to low value addition attached to the registration. According to MCD data, the 3,005 pet dogs were registered in 2022-23, 2,063 in 2023-24, 1,604 in 2024-25 and 489 until July.

According to the guidelines issued by the Delhi government on September 15, every dog older than three months being kept as pet within a household in Delhi must be registered with the office of the local body concerned. “Such registration and renewal of registration will be valid for a year. If the anti-rabies vaccination of dog lapses during such time, the licensing registration will be automatically become invalid,” the guidelines state.

They also propose two separate categories of registration for breeding and non-breeding dogs. “In case of non-breeding dog licence, surgical sterilisation certificate and annual vaccination would be required, while breeding dogs will have more regulations with breeding only allowed in commercial areas, compliance with prevention of cruelty to animals (dog breeding and marketing rules 2017) and separate registration with the Delhi Animal Welfare Board,” the official said.

No such separate registration exists in the existing system.

Currently, the veterinary department levies a uniform pet dog registration fee of ₹500, on payment of which it issues a brass token that can be affixed to the dog’s collar. MCD officials said that free registration for Indian breeds will need a separate process and changes to the online registration portal. “It will also have financial implications; so, concurrence of the finance department will be needed,” the official said.